In theory it is just another winter Tuesday. No big games are happening on 3 January 2017, no one will instantly sense the change. Could it be, nevertheless, that the date will one day be ranked among the most significant in modern rugby union history? Might it also be the moment the cork is removed from the old-school bottle and, in a spray of sparkling foam, it starts raining tries?
World Rugby’s decision to tighten the tackle law with immediate effect and clamp down on high, dangerous “hits” is meant to be all about improving player welfare. Every minor tweak to rugby’s technical landscape inevitably has a side-effect and suddenly it is defence coaches who face a double-barrelled nightmare. If defenders can no longer risk targeting the upper chest for fear of the impact “riding up” and earning them a card, passing out of the tackle becomes far more practicable. The killer offload is suddenly back in vogue.
Related: World Rugby isn’t doing enough to protect young players from head injuries | Allyson Pollock
Related: Richard Cockerill pays price for barren spell but Leicester will miss his loyalty | Robert Kitson
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